In This Life (Sequel to 'In Another Life')

110

"Sorry," I said, glancing back up at him. He just laughed and pulled me close for a mind blowing kiss. Sadly, the peaceful feeling that I had last night, didn't last. I was nervous to see Mrs. Gail, guilt eating away at me over Amber's death, mixed in with the grief of losing my best friend, and feeling grief for Mrs. Gail, as well. We rushed to get ready, with me bypassing makeup all together, because it was extra humid after the storm. Mrs. Gail opened the door for us, a smile on her face. I hugged her tightly because I could the past the smile. Her usual sparkling brown eyes were dull and sad. It broke my heart all over again to see her this way. "Good morning you two. Come in. I've got some coffee ready in the kitchen, if you'd like. Some strawberry cheesecake muffins too, and grits, eggs, and bacon if you'd rather have that." I almost laughed at how big Colby's eyes got. We thanked her, and walked straight through to her small, but sparkling clean kitchen. "Damn," Colby breathed out, as he took in the spread that was laid out on the small table, on top of the deep freezer that sat in the corner, and the counters. "Watch your mouth," I said automatically. I guess being in this home just brought that respectful southern girl out in me. "Excuse me," he said to Mrs. Gail who had just walked in. She patted his arm as she passed him and smiled. "No need. I know it seems like a lot of food, but only some of it is for breakfast. I didn't sleep that well, so I got up early and just started cooking." I looked around, taking in the breakfast foods that she had on the stove, to the elaborate looking spreads that were laid out on every other available surface. Dishes ranging from southern fried chicken, to a lighter tossed Ceasar salad, had my stomach growling. I grabbed one of the muffins out of the cake plate that was sitting in the middle of the table, and bit into it. I moaned at how amazing it tasted. "Young lady, I know I did not just see you stick your hands in my food, without washing them first." I swallowed, and looked at Mrs. Gail, a bashful expression on my face. "Um...I sanitized in the car?" I offered an alternative that I knew wasn't going to fly. "You touched that doorknob that many others have touched. Who knows where their hands have been? You were just holding his hand, and no offense son, but I don't know where his hands have been either! You know better than that! Now, both of you get to that sink and wash your hands before you touch another thing in my kitchen," she chastised us both, slapping a wooden spoon into the palm of her hands. "Yes ma'am," we both said in unison. We looked at each other and giggled like children. I don't know how it happened but her getting on to us, kind of put us at ease, somehow. I was still heartbroken, and had no doubt that it would be worse when I went to see Amber's body, probably more so at the funeral tomorrow but for now, the peace came back. After we both washed our hands under the close supervision of Mrs. Gail, Colby and I unfolded, and set up the large foldable table, with benches, that would be going onto her equally large, screened in back porch. "Whoa, nice," Colby said, whistling when he saw the immaculate pool table that was taking up a third of the room. "Yeah," I said, running my fingers along the side of the shiny wood grain table. "It belonged to to her husband. This was her birthday present to him before he passed away." "How did he die?" he asked, as we both walked over to the folded table that was lying against the wall. "Car accident," I replied, reminded of how easy I could've died in my own accident. It only takes a second for someone's life to change forever. "He went to get milk one night, so that Mrs. Gail could have it with her breakfast the next morning. A drunk driver ran a stop sign and rammed right into him. Killed him instantly. She never remarried. Said that he was her one and only. That was fifteen years ago." "Wow," he replied quietly. We set out the table, then placed the benches on each side of it. "Do you want to start bringing food out Mrs. Gail, or wait until it's closer to time?" I asked, walking back inside, and swiping the back of my hand across the sweat that had gathered on my forehead. "I'll wait a little while. It won't take much to just put the dishes on the table. It's hot as the dickens out there. My food'll spoil before anyone gets to taste it." I saw Colby's lips lift slightly at her southern words but, he didn't laugh. We helped clean up the already mostly clean home, just dragging a broom across the floor, and dusting ceiling fans and light fixtures for the most part. "Okay, I guess that's all we can do. Thank you for your help. Honey, you know where the bathroom is if you need to freshen up a little," she said, probably noticing that I was sweating like a Russian racehorse...huh, I guess the Southern sayings were coming back to me the more I stayed around it. I didn't even understand most of the sayings but you just grew up knowing them. I made my way to her small bathroom, almost feeling claustrophobic with how small it actually was. As soon as you open the door, the sink was right there, a medicine cabinet mirror directly above it. The tub/shower was right on the other side of that, with the toilet off to the side. I still preferred it over the ridiculously large ones that were at my parents house. I looked in the mirror, cringing when I saw how bad it was.